Whitsons Community Blog Forum!

Welcome to Whitsons’ community blog forum! We believe it is important to get involved with our team members, clients, and customers, as well as create a space for information exchange, interesting perspectives, and interactive communications.

Here, you will find professionals from all around the company sharing their experiences and knowledge on a range of topics, from industry-specific trends and recipes to health and nutrition and team motivation.
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We look forward to hearing your feedback, and to share about everything we stand for: People, Food, and Communications. Enjoy!!

As a Registered Dietitian and a member of Whitsons’ Nutrition Services team, it’s up to us to make sure we are sharing our nutrition knowledge with our clients, students, parents and team members. Since launching our “Ask the RD” service, we have received numerous emails with health and nutrition questions. Beginning this year, we will select from the questions we have received and share our responses with you, our readers.

Our Nutrition Services team consists of Katherine Barfuss, RD, CDN, Courtney Yablonsky, RD, CDN, and myself, Katherine Ancona, MS, RD, CDN. Each one of us has specialized knowledge and a passion for topics including school nutrition, sports nutrition, weight management, food sensitivities, and so much more. Helping you keep healthy, stay informed and eating right is our priority. So, if you would like to submit a question, just email asktherd @whitsons.com. Select questions and answered in our monthly “Ask the RD” blog.

1) My child is a picky eater what can I do to improve their eating habits?

Dealing with a picky eater can be difficult, however, allowing the child repeated opportunities to try a variety of nutritious food options will only increase the chances of them liking more healthy foods and making healthy food choices as they grow. So, when we offer children continuous tastings of new or previously disliked fruits and vegetables this can increase their acceptance of these items. According to researchers, it can take 8-15 times for a child to try a food for them to accept it. It’s also important for the parent to be a role model for their child in trying new and different foods with them. When they see how you like this new food, they will be more willing to try it. Most importantly, it is always important to remember to have patience and to never pressure a child into eating items they do not want.

2) How can I tell if my child is getting enough nutrients?

Try to make sure that whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and dairy are offered at meals throughout the day. Each food group provides different nutrients that are essential for their growth, so providing a variety will help them get all of them. A child that is growing well is getting the correct amount of nutrients.

3) What fats are healthy fats?

Types of healthy fats are both omega-3 and monounsaturated fats. Omega-3 are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid that has been shown to help lower LDL cholesterol levels, as well as support your heart. Foods high in these items include fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines and should be included at least twice per week. Other items to include are walnuts, flaxseeds, eggs, and a variety of oils (canola & soybean). Another healthy fat to include in your diet is monounsaturated fats. This type of healthy fat has been shown to decrease your risk for heart disease, as well as improve your cholesterol levels. Be sure to include foods that are high in this fat: nuts, olive oil, avocados, & peanut butter.

4) What is the difference between sugar from fruit and white sugar?

There is a big difference between the sugar in both fruit and “white sugar.” The sugar from fruit is primarily made of fructose. Fruit also contains water, fiber, and other nutrients that make them important in a healthy, balanced diet. White sugar or “refined sugar” on the other hand is typically found as sucrose, which is a combination of glucose and fructose. This specific sugar is often added to highly processed items (cakes, cookies, cereal, soda etc.) which often come with added salt and fat. These added sugars also seem to lack the essential health benefits that we get naturally from eating fruit.